Inflatable ball



July 26, 1932. J. A. DUBOQV 1,869,135

INFLATABLE BALL Filed Jan. 4, 1950- Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATES JACOB A. DUBOW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS INFLATABLE BALL Application filed January 4, 1930. Serial No. 418,475. I

My invention relates to inflatable balls, particularly of the play ball type such as basketballs, footballs, and the like, in which an outer covering or casing, preferably of leather is provided within which an elastic air container, such as a bladder or the like, is provided in order to retain air .under pressure.

The primary object of my invent on is the provision of a play ball which has the usual outer covering adapted to be laced prior to inflation of the ball, with coacting means being provided on the casing andon the bladder so that the valve which is ordinarily attached to the bladder can be kept in registry with the opening provided in the outer casing or cover, for, the attachment of a hand or foot pump for inflating the ball when it is desired to use it.

I am aware that a great many forms of cooperating attachments for the bladder of play balls and the casing have been provided, and that various forms of play balls have been manufactured which are adapted to be inflated by a hand or foot pump through an opening in the cover soaced apart from the bladder opening in the casing, which is usually closed by the lacing of the ball. All of these forms maintain some non-flexible metallic fastening member which results in a so-called dead spot on the ball, that is, while this spot is not dead in the sense that the ball will not bounce ifit happens to strike the floor at the point where the valve projects through the casing, at the same time the placing of the metallic plate in the cover very materially lessens the bouncing qualities of the ball and seriously handicapping the players in their use of the ball because of its" inaccurate bouncing. If the ball strikes the floor, wall, or other obstruction slightly to one side of the plate or along the edge of the metallic plate or if the player kicks or strikes the ball at this point, the reaction of the ball is not the same as'it would be ifit had been struck at some other portion of the cover. Therefore, balls of this type are not as accurate in play as if the entire surface of the ball wasthe same in resistance and elasticity, and therefore in bouncing qualities.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a fastening device which is flexible in its character and which allows the ball to have the same bouncingqualities when struck on the floor or by the'player at the portion where the valve of the bladder is fitted to the cover, as if the ball struck the floor or wall, or was struck by the player, at any other point on its surface. V w These and other objects of my invention will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, and in Which Figure 1 is a play ball embodying my improved invention;;

Figure 2' is a fragmentarysectional view through the casing and bladder construction showing my improved means of attachment of the bladder to the casing; e Figure 3 is a top View of the valve member in engagement with the casing attaching member; and

Figure 4 is an elevational view of my improved attaching member. Y

Referring now specifically to the and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a ball casing 10 is shown having the usual bladder opening ll drawing therein adapted to be closed bythe lacing 12, and having an opening 13 therethroughat'BO one side of the opening 11 with .which the valve stem is adapted to register. Atbladder 14 is shown of the usual type and form,

and having an inwardly projecting rubber stem 15 formed thereon within which the usual valve stem 16 is shown of the usual Schrader type for use in inner tubes, the details of which it is believed are-unneceswell known character of this valve. 'A rein forcing strip of rubber 17 is provided around the valve stem 15 at the outer end, which contacts around its outei edge against the leather washer 18 mounted against the circular felt member 19 and secured to the cover 10 by stitching 20, 20.

The felt member 19 and leather washer 18 have'openings'therein which are aligned with the opening 13 in thecover 10 when the device is assembled. Mounted against the- .sary to illustrate or describe in view of the ius-ual hand or foot pump can be the .valve stem.

. In assembling the device the bladder,

felt member 19 at its lower side is a flat coil spring member 21 having its inner end 22 free and adjacent the opening through the felt member 19. The outer end of this member passes downward through the washer 18 and thence across in alignment with the opening .13 in the cover, and the openings in the felt and .leathermembers 191and 18, and is turned upon itself to form ahook 23 which engages around the valve stem 16. This valve stem has a collar '2 formed thereon so that the end of the valve stem will not slip through the book 23. The outer end of a valve member 25 is shown and a cap 26 is provided which is externally" "threaded and adapted to engage with the a floor or the like, the member 21 flexes along with the cover of. the ball and taken with :a slight contraction ofthe felt .member 19 renders the ball at this point aslive as it is at any other point inits cover.

In forming the casings 10, it Will be understood thatthespring member 21 is placed in position in the felt member 19 and the leather Washer 18 secured therethrough with an opening being for-med therein through whichtheouter free endof the spring member 21 projects,and thence across and around where .it is in position to have the outer-end of the valve stem slipped into the hook portion 23 which, of course, places the valve stem in alignment with the opening 13 in the outer casing .10, by means of which the applied to formed with the valve stem vulcanized or cemented ithereto, as ,may be .desired, ;is linserted through the bladder opening 11 in the casing 10, and thevalve 16 placed into the hook v23 which holds .the valve stem alignmentxwith the opening 13 and the open- 'ings'in the felt and leather washers 19 and 18. Thereafter the'o'utercover is laced and when 'itis'desired to inflate the ball the cap 26 is "removed and the threaded nipple of a foot or hand :pump is secured to the stemlfl in the usual manner, and theball inflated to While 'I'have described more 'or less pre-l cisely the details of construction, 1 do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as .I contemplate changes inform' and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances. may

suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim: a

1. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casing having a bladder insertion opening therein and an inflation aperture therethrough, a bladder, a stem in said bladder havinga valve therein, and a resilient hooked member open at one side for the reception of the valve stem and secured to said casing at said. aperture engaging the said valve stem. 7

2. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casing having a bladder insertion opening therein and an inflation aperture therethrough, a bladder, a stem insaid bladder having a valve therein, and a coiled flat spring member secured to said casing coaxial with said hole and having a hooked outer end engaging the valve stem. t

3. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casino; having a bladder insertion opening therein and an inflation aperture itherethrough, a bladder, a stem in said bladder having an-enlarged end, and a resilient member, having a hooked portion engaging said valve stem. said member being secured to said casing adjacent the aperture.

4. An inflatableball comprising in combi nationa casing having a bladder insertion opening therein and an inflation aperture 'tbe ethrough, a bladder, a stem in said blad- :derbaving'anenlarged end, and a'coil spring member secured to said casing and having a hooked portion in line with saidaperture engaging the. said valve stem.

5. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casino; hav ng a bladder insertion opening there n and an inflation aperture tberethrough, a bladder. a stem in said bladder having an enlarged end, and a resilient coiled'member yieldingly secured to said casing adjacent sa d aperture. and having a hook thereon engaging the said valve stem.

6. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a'casin'g having a bladder insertion o ening therein and an aperture therethrough, a bladder, a stem in saidbladder having'an'enlarged end, a felt member, and

a resilient coiled member secured to said casmg ad a-c-ent to sald aperture and having 'a hooked portion engaging sald stem.

' 7. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casing having a bladder insertion opening therein and an aperture therethrough, a bladder, a stem 1n said'bladder having an enlarged'end, a felt member, a resilient coilmember, and a flexible Washer, each secured to the cover and coaxial with the aperture, the said coil having a hooked por-- tion adapted to engage the valve stem,

8. Aninflatabl'e ball comprising in combination a casing having a bladder insertion opening therein and an aperture therethrough, ,a bladder, fa stem in said bladder, a

felt member, a resilient coil member, a flexible washer, each secured to the casing and coaxial with the aperture, and means for securing said valve stem to said coil member.

9. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casing having a small bladder inflation aperture therethrough, a bladder in said casing, a stem on said bladder having a valve therein, a flat coiled spring coaxial with said aperture and secured to the casing, a flexible reinforcing member secured to said casing by a ring of stitches coaxial with said aperture, and means for attaching said valve stem to the outer portion of said coiled spring; said coiled spring being at least half as large in diameter as the diameter of said ring of stitches.

10. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casing having a small bladder inflation aperture therethrough, a bladder in said casing, a stem on said bladder having a valve therein, a coiled spring secured to said casing coaxially with said aperture, and means securing said stem to said spring, said spring being normally so shaped that most of the pressure exerted thereon by said stem is transmitted to a portion of the casing substantially spaced from said aperture.

11. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casing having a small bladder inflation aperture therethrough, a bladder in said casing, a stem on said bladder having a valve therein, a coiled spring secured to said casing coaxially with said aperture, and having a hooked portion securing said stem to said spring, said spring being normally so shaped that most of the pressure exerted thereon by said stem is transmitted to a portion of the casing substantially spaced from said aperture.

12. A casing of an inflatable ball having a large opening for the insertion of a bladder and having an inflation opening a felt member and a resilient coil member, each secured to the casing coaxially with said aperture, the

said coil having a hooked portion coaxial with said aperture adapted to engage a valve stem.

13. An inflatable ball comprising in combination a casing having a bladder insertion opening therein and an inflation aperture therethrough, a bladder, a stem in said bladder having a valve therein, and a resilient hooked member open at one side for the reception of the valve stem and secured to said casing at said aperture engaging the said valve stem, said stem including a flange for preventing its removal from said hook except through said open side.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 24th day of December, 1929.

JACOB A. DUBOW. 

